New Commission - Seb's Downfall in the Mechanical Nursery (Patreon)

Seb couldn’t move. 

He was bound to a crib, thickly diapered, a pacifier in his mouth, and tears falling down his cheeks. And his thoughts drifted into the events that led to his ultimate downfall. After all, why would a twenty-five-year-old be tied in a crib and wearing a diaper? That’s not what adults do. That’s not even how babies do it. And the reason why it happened, well, it was all because of her. Or it. Seb didn’t really know how to address it. AI, they said. Smart home, they said. 

And now here he was, at its mercy. 

The week started with the biggest rush of dopamine Seb had felt in his life. He had won the Smart Home after participating in a very popular raffle in the country. And it was not any type of smart home. No. It was a proper one. Built to be the ultimate experience of comfort and convenience for its owner. Not just adding Siri or Alexa to the mix and installing a pair of smart appliances. No. This was the first smart home to function through an AI protocol. Something is never seen before, except for movies with Robert Downey. Jr. 

“Congratulations!” Everyone said that morning, and Seb was in heaven. 

And Seb was on his way to his new home, leaving behind a tiny apartment that was, in his own eyes, the least comfortable place he’s ever lived. Though the only place he could’ve afforded back then. Now, he had a real home. And, apparently, one that would make his wildest desires come true. He was eager to try that feature. What would he ask for first? Perhaps that new OLED TV and the latest Harry Potter game, to begin with. The house was designed to be self-sufficient. It had been given a money fund, and it invested it better than most stockbrokers. In other words, Seb was ready to retire at a young age, and everyone in his DMs knew about it. Hundreds of girls that never really paid attention to him were now asking him out or wanting to chat. 

“Hope we can meet soon!” It was the last text of a pretty girl Seb had faced since he was in middle school. 

“We’re here.” 

Came the voice of the taxi driver, and Seb saw through the window a beautiful home, so modern, it looked like something Elon Musk would live in on Mars. It was to be his new home, and eagerly, he rushed to its door with his suitcase and backpack. 

“You must be Sed,” said a woman by the door. 

She was quite pretty, not too much older than Seb himself. She wore a nice skirt, which showcased her strong and long legs. Slightly bit taller and a bit chubby, but gorgeous nonetheless. A kind smile, the motherly type. 

“Yeah, you are Sally, right?”

“That’s correct. I’m here to give you the tour of the house and hand you the keys alongside the title and deeds. It shouldn’t take more than twenty minutes ‘cause I have to explain how the house works, though it’s pretty intuitive. Still, that’s part of the rules.”

“I don’t mind, just happy to be here.” 

“That’s good to hear. Shall we start?” 

Seb nodded. 

The inside of the house was just as elegant and well-designed as Seb had expected. There was a lot of technical stuff to learn in every area. A master bedroom, a couple of guest rooms, four bathrooms, a video game salon, a kitchen, a garage, and a locked room they stopped by. 

“Don’t worry about this room. It was a mistake by the manufacturer, so we just kept it locked. It shouldn’t open itself or anything, but if it does, just close it.”

“A mistake by the manufacturer? An entire room?”

The door shook suddenly. 

“Weird, right? But there’s nothing to worry about. Just remember not to go in.”

Her face did not inspire confidence, but it was a gift. An entire house just for him, and if he couldn’t use one of the rooms, well, it wasn’t the end of the world. A few minutes later, they were back by the front door, and the lady was saying goodbye, once again congratulating him for his win. Seb smiled, and she smiled back. Something 

And then he said, “Maybe you could come around one day.”

“I’m married, Seb. But good luck with the new house,” she said with a smile, and within seconds, she was gone. 

And it was Seb alone in his new house and a world of possibilities ahead. Too many possibilities, indeed, that the twenty-five-year-old didn’t know where to start. Should he take a bath? Watch a movie in his personal movie theater or maybe do some gaming. Maybe he should get something to eat. Or drink a little to celebrate. He didn’t have many friends, though. And yet, there was something he had been wanting to do for a while already. That door. That weird door he shouldn’t open. What is behind it? He shook that thought away.

“Let’s enjoy the house first.”

And he did. For two days, he enjoyed every little detail. Every little thing, but then, the weight of his life started to push down. It was still him. Lonely and directionless, just that he was now in a bigger house. For some reason, he thought things would change. And yes, there were girls on his DMs now, but they didn’t want him. They wanted to be with the guy that won the house. 

He sighed. 

That’s when he decided it was time. He stood up and, determinately, walked towards the door Sally had told him not to enter. It was shaking again as if something or someone was trying to come out. He’s seen many horror movies in his life, and that wasn’t a good sign. Something was pushing him to open the door, though, a feeling that he would find what he was looking for behind the door. So he picked a knife and started working on the handle. 

But after thirty minutes, nothing. He was about to give up when the form itself opened. It wasn’t him trying anymore. It just opened. And what he saw behind shook him to his very core. It was a nursery. A pink-walled, giant crib full of toys nursery. And if that had been all, he would’ve let it be. Standing right in front of him was a woman. A beautiful, mature, slightly thick woman. Had she been there the entire time? Not, it wasn’t a woman. Looking down at her, she had wheels instead of feet. Was it a robot? An android? 

And the door closed right behind Seb. 

“Are you my baby girl?”